1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to an articulated reinforcement structure and the footwear articles, not only for sports applications such as ski boots and mountaineering boots, or the boots used in connection with skates with in-line rollers, cross-country-skiing, etc., but also work-footwear and the like, that are provided with such a structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical reinforcement structure for sports and similar footwear of the above cited kindxe2x80x94see patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,466xe2x80x94consists of a number of parts that are made as separately moulded pieces of polymeric materials having particularly strong mechanical properties. One of these parts is constituted by the sole, which in this particular case is fastened on to a support framework for a plurality of in-line rollers, a toe portion and an uprising rear portion that accommodates the heel by wrapping it up, whereas a second part is a leg-piece that is intended for supporting the ankle and is joined to said uprising rear portion of said first part by means of a pair of pins enabling it to pivotally move about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal centre-line plane of the foot. In this way, the user is capable of bending his/her legs forwards and backwards, whereas the inherent rigidity of the parts ensure an effective side support to the foot minimizing the risk of sprains, when the leg-piece is duly tightened by means of appropriate fastening devices.
The major drawback of an articulated structure of this kind lies in the fact that the foot is prevented from performing any other movement than the above cited pivoting movement, unlike what many users would on the contrary desire or appreciate. The construction-related complexity of the leg-piece, which is adapted to envelop the lower portion of the leg of the user all around it, i.e. on 360 degrees, and to a not negligible height thereof, is furthermore such as to require the use of sophisticated moulding tools and a relatively large amount of some premium-grade polymeric material that may be quite expensive.
It would therefore be desirable, and is actually a main object of the present invention, to provide an articulated reinforcement structure for footwear articles of the above mentioned kind that does away with the above cited drawbacks and that, in particular, ensures the user with a great freedom of movement of both the foot and the leg, without anyway impairing the inherent protection and support functions thereof to any extent whatsoever.
An articulated footwear reinforcement structure having the features as recited in the appended claims enables this and further objects to be reached, as this may be readily understood from the description given below by way of example of a preferred, although not sole embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.